Chair



M. KRAUSE April 28, 1931.

CHAIR Original- Filed March 12. 1929 Jrzyenzor @EQW Q 3 g NM MN NH Patented Apr. 28, 1931 PATENT oFFicE MAX KRAUSE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS CHAIR Application filed March 12, 1929, Serial No. 346,416. Renewed January 29, 1931.

My invention relates to chairs, and its main object is to provide new and improved interengaging means between the chair-frame and the adjustable chair-back which in different positions of the back on the frame are automaticallyinterlocked by the weight of the user and are automatically unlocked when the chair is unoccupied.

The invention consists in certain organizationsand arrangements of parts of which practical embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a viewpartly in sectional elevation and partly in side elevation of a chair made in accordance with my invention, the view being taken in general on the line 11 in Fig. 8 and showing the relation of parts when the seat is extended;

Fig. 2 is a similar view on the same line showing the relation of parts when the seat is in its inward position, certain parts being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a View partly in section and partly in rear elevation on the line 33 in Fig. 2 with parts broken away and others omitted.

Fig. 4 is a detail side view partly in section showing'the means for automatically engaging and disengaging the back-frame and chair-frame Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5-5 in Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view.

In carrying out my invent-ion I employ a chair-frame comprisinga substantially rectangular base 10 having usual supporting feet, side-arms 11 and rear corner uprights 12, which preferably are extended upwardly to form side-wings for the familiar type of wing-chair. The base 10 has opposite longitudinal traolis 13 upon which the seat-frame 14 is supported by pairs of roller-bearings 15 and 16 respectively secured at each side of the front end of the base 10 and at each side of the rear end of the seat-frame so that the latter moves easily back and forth on the base. The tracks are-provided with one or more pairs of opposite recesses 17 in which the rollers 16 rest in difierent positions of the seat, and with rear stops 18 against whichthe seat abuts when its rollers 16 enter the rear recesses 17 as shown in Fig. 2; and the seat-frame may have corresponding recesses 19 for the rollers 15. The tracks 13 support opposite inwardly directed guide-rails 20 upon which travels a cross-piece 21 secured on the rear end of the seat-frame, and having grooves or channels 22 at its ends to slidably engage the rails and guide the seat in its re ciprocating movements and hold it against upward displacement and tipping, there being sufficient play between these parts to permit the rollers 16 to engage and disengage their seats. The back-frame 23 is hinged at its lower end to the rear end of the seat-frame 14 and the chair-frame is provided above the pivot of theback-frame with opposite inwardly projecting fulcrums upon which the back-frame is adapted to turnand slide, and preferably formed by a cross-rod 24 fixed at its ends in the rear uprights 12. Each sidepiece 23 of the back-frame is provided in its rear face with a longitudinal channel 25 extending across its width and having endshoulders 26 and formed on its bottom wall with notches 27 adapted to seat on the crossrod; and ametallic strip 28 closes the open side of each channel between its shoulders, being held in place by means hereinafter described. The inner or bottom wall of each channel and its associated strip 28 form an elongated way through which the rod 24 freely passes, so that the back-frame 23 is retained in. place between the uprights 12 and can turn and slide on the rod between the shoulders as the seat 14 ismoved-inand out to its diflerent positions; and the notches 27 in the opposite side-pieces are arranged in opposite pairs so that they will seat on the rod and hold the back-frame in any of its adjusted positions as hereinafter described.

The number and spacings of-the recesses 17 may be varied and preferably the arrange ment of the notches 27 will be such that the rod 24 and the rollers 16 will seat simultaneously. The inner or bottom wall of each channel 25 is provided with a right-angled mortise or groove 29 extending along the length thereof and also beyond its ends, and a bar is movably mounted in each mortise and is springstressedoutwardly to normally H hold the notched wall out of engagement with the cross-rod. In the form shown the ends of the mortise 29 are closed by plugs 31 which are suitably held in place therein and are formed on their inner or facing ends with undercut shoulders 32 which provide stops or abutments for the opposite ends of the bars 30, and each bar is formed near its ends with passages 33 through which pass rods 34 that extend through the side-pieces 23, the plugs 31 and the strips 28 to hold these parts together. The bars are stressed outwardly by springs, which as here shown at 35 surround the rods 3-it and expand between the ends of the bars and the bases of recesses 36 in the side-pieces. The springs 35 are strong enough to normally hold the bars 30 in their outer positions against the shoulders 32 and resist the weight or pressure of the chairback, so that the notched walls and cross-rod are disengaged and when the seat is moved outwardly or inwardly on the base the back moves freely on the rod into position to align an appropriate pair of notches 27 with the rod when the rollers 16 align with a corresponding pair of recesses 17.

" When the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 2 the rod'24 is aligned with the lowest pair of notches 27 but is held out of engagement therewith by the spring-stressed bar 30. If the seat is moved outwardly into an extended position, as for example in Fig. '1, the bars ride along the rod and prevent the notches 27 from engaging it, and the same action occurs when the seat is moved inwardly; in all the movements of the seat the sliding connection between its cross-piece 21 and the main-frame guides the seat and prevents it from'tilting or being pulled up out of seating position. W hen the'connected seat and back are adjusted to any position in which a pair of notches 27 align with the rod increased weight or pressure on the back, as by an occupant of thechair, over comes the resistance of the springs and interlocks the notches with the rod as shown in Fig. 6 for example, and the back and seat are held in position; the engagement of the rollers 16 with their recesses'l'? (and of the rollers 15 with their recesses 19 when the latter are employed) supplements the interengagement of the other parts for this purpose. When the chair is vacated the springs 35 restore the parts to their positionshown in Fig. 4, and the back is free to be easily moved with the seat into another position. The rollers 16 engaging their recesses hold the seat and back in place when the chair is unoccupied.

IVhile I have shown the elements of the interengaging devices that are carried by the back-frame as mounted directly in the side-pieces thereof, these parts may be mounted in separate bases attached on the rear of the sidepieces, as by making a strip like the sectien'of the side-piece shown in Fig. 4: as abase complete in itself and extending its rods 34 through the side-pieces 23; and I may employ any suitable form or arrangement of spring-pressure for the bars 30.

I claim:

1. In a chair, the combination with a frame having opposite tracks and back-supporting means fixed on the frame above the tracks, of a seat-section positioned to travel on said tracks, a back-section hinged to the inner end of said seat-section, elongated guideways on the back-section movable on said back-supporting means and having means to engage therewith, and spring'actuated means in the guideways normally holding said engaging means out of engagement with said back.- supporting means.

2. In a. chair, the combination with a frame having opposite tracks and a cross-rod above the tracks, of a seat-section positioned to travel on said tracks, a back-section hinged to the inner end of the seat-section and hav-. ing elongated guideways movable on said rod and provided with rearwardly opening notches to engage therewith, and spring-actuated bars in said guide-ways normally holding said notches out of engagement with said rod.

3. In a chair, the combination with a frame having opposite tracks and a cross-rod above the tracks, of a seat-section positioned to travel on said tracks, a backesection hinged to the inner end of said seat-section and having elongated guideways movable on said rod, the inner walls of the guideways having cross-notches and a longitudinal mortise, bars movably mounted in said mortises, stops to limit the outward movement of said bars, and springs normally holding said bars against said stops. In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MAX KRAUSE. 

